Progression 2

Miles Kirshner

Kelan Koning

English 115

20 October 2020

The Art in Custer’s Ride

The thunder of horse hooves and battle cries rings through the air; the battle has begun and the 7th Cavalry is certain they have the upper hand. As it turns out, they were wrong, the Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes had joined together against the United States government. George Armstrong Custer, known to some as a hero, and to others a disgrace, was the lead commander of the 7th Cavalry. The Native American forces repelled the 7th Cav's attacks and wiped out 268 men including Custer and 5 companies of the 7th Cavalry. The Battle of Little Bighorn is a tale of American history, tragedy, and hubris; it is something nobody alive can recount but remains a stark reminder of the struggles of the American Indian and the mistakes of our country's past (NPS).

The struggles of life are not something only Native Americans dealt with; artists like Johnny Cash had their own share of personal struggles. Cash was no stereotypical Country Western artist, he was not afraid to speak about what was right and the reality of a situation. For almost a full generation, George Armstrong Custer was viewed as a martyr and an American hero. But was he, really? Cash didn’t think so, he believed that the U.S government never properly did the right thing to help Native Americans and certainly didn’t support a general who was responsible for the massacre of hundreds of Indians. This drove Cash to craft an album highlighting the injustice and struggles of American Indians; this album was called: Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian. The song that I chose to focus on was the song “Custer” from the album. This has led me to the conclusion that art is a way for an artist to allow the audience to experience, learn, and understand an issue that has occurred in history in an impactful way; much like Johnny Cash does in his song “Custer” from his album Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian.

Art is a unique and important form of preserving history. Whether it is cave paintings from the first humans to Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel to Johnny Cash’s songs about history and injustice, art has allowed us to see into what life was like for those before us. We may not be able to experience it in the first person but we can be immersed and transported to the time from a painting or song. This is precisely what happens when you listen to “Custer” by Johnny Cash, it may be the way Cash sings the song like he is telling a story or the way he uses a sarcastic and joking tone when talking about Custer’s death. The listener feels as though they are observing the things that Custer was responsible for. Cash’s style of writing the song includes a line that describes the context surrounding Custer followed by the line, “And the General, he don’t ride well anymore” this emphasizes each line and the fact that Custer died on that field during the battle. This gives the listener the experience that they are in the moment witnessing the events unfold. Cash holds no emotion back when singing those lines, often appearing as though he is holding laughter in and sometimes letting out a few chuckles. The audience is not only experiencing the history surrounding Custer’s actions but the feeling that Cash holds towards the General.

Another line that provides sensory detail to immerse the listener is, “With victories, he was swimmin’ he killed children dogs and women” this line is impactful because it demonstrates how Custer did things unimaginable and terrible that most people would find vile (NPS). While one could argue that Cash is imposing his own bias upon the lyrics of his song by including lines that seem “exaggerated” it is undeniable that Custer did terrible things regardless of whether it was authorized by the government or not. What Cash is trying to get the audience to understand is that it is important to realize the mistakes of the past and acknowledge the flaws in our country's history. This is something he would not be able to do if not for the art of his music. It clearly allows the audience to experience and integrate into the history of the subject and come out with their own opinion on the matter. While Cash has his own views on the matter, his song may impact others in various ways, and that is what art is.

Now that we understand how art is capable of preserving history and allowing an audience to experience it, we can see how art is capable of teaching the audience aspects of history. Much like most of Cash’s songs, there are allusions to history embedded within each work of his. Whether it is a song about the homesteaders on the plains, those done injustice in the prison systems, or Native Americans dealing with the encroachment of the U.S government; you are made aware of the aspects important to the subject. For example, Cash includes details of the battle that you would need an encyclopedia or internet search to figure out. Much like he does in the quote, “Crazy Horse sent out the call to Sitting Bull and Gall” these were all Native Americans who were leaders within their tribes who all played an important role in the Battle of Little Bighorn (NPS). These details are important because, without the knowledge and context of history, the art would not have the same meaning. Not only does the history of the subject offer meaning of its own but it supplements the way Cash allows you to experience the subject. This would not be possible without the art of music. Another part of the battle that Cash includes in his song that teaches the listener another fact of the battle is, “Now Custer split his men well he won't do that again” Custer did split his men, this resulted in a total rout of his forces and his eventual demise. Once again, Cash offers another bit of information that allows the listener to have the necessary information in order to further their understanding of the scene. Where would this be without music?

The final aspect of Cash’s “Custer” that adds to the ability of art to tell the story of history is the ability for the piece to facilitate understanding in the listener. This is not necessarily done by specific lines but mainly by the structure of the song itself and the combination of knowledge and experience. Crafting a song is much like a stroke of the brush on an easel where each line is there for a purpose and a function. When you get the complete “painting” is when you combine the lines and words together with thought. But the impact of a song doesn’t stop there, unlike a painting or mural, music includes notes, instruments, and voices. It contains a personal aspect that appeals to your very soul. There is a reason for some, a song can make somebody go from sad to happy, angry to relaxed, and tired to energetic. Something about the way the beat flows can cause people to get invested in the song. Without these aspects, the message of the song, knowledge, and experience is lost. The combination of lyrics and music is the most powerful aspect of a song, it takes all of the physical aspects of a song and turns it into something that applies to each listener differently. Cash repeats the lines highlighting Custer’s death throughout the entire song 13 of the 25 lines contain the same words. As a listener, if you actively listen and internalize the lyrics of “Custer”, you will end the song with an understanding of the impact Custer had, the things he has done, and your own interpretation of him regardless of what you know or didn’t know about him.

In conclusion, art brings a lot to the table it provides those who watch, admire, or listen with an immersive experience, insights into history, and understanding or admiration for it. All of these things are demonstrated by Johnny Cash in his song “Custer”. In the end, the meaning of art is not definable because its meaning will vary from person to person and even differ from that of the artist. This is the power of music. This is the power of art.

Works Cited

Cash, Johnny. “Johnny Cash – Custer.” Genius, 1 Jan. 1964, genius.com/Johnny-cash-custer-lyrics.

Gov., U.S. “Story of the Battle.” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, 2019, www.nps.gov/libi/learn/historyculture/battle-story.htm.